Uffizio Scavi-Necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica

Here is an article about Palazzo Valenti. https://www.marthasitaly.com/articles/73/palazzo-valentini-roman-houses. This was recommended by Sarah Murdoch our RS Rome guide. It was a highlight. Buy tickets in advance and be sure it’s the English tour.

We did the Necropolis a few years ago and it was a highlight of our trip, but it depends on your interests. It was special to us. We also did Domus Aureus, requires a reservation, and it was wonderful too. It is near the Coliseum.

Thanks so much for both of these tips. I will look into these for sure.

Even my non-history loving wife liked the Scavi tour. It is more interesting if you have an interest in early Christianity, but not required.

Probably the only warning I would give is that it is a bit cramped in places, you are under the Basilica, and it is very humid, and the ground uneven in places. So if you do poorly in enclosed spaces, or have mobility issues, you might reconsider.

@ Paul Bless you for that information. I was considering this tour, even though it is expensive. The information about the "tight feeling" in places was just what I needed to know. I know that this would probably not be the tour for this mildly claustrophobic person........

No problem, but I would disagree with expensive. I think the cost is still around 13 euro, and that includes a guide for about 10 people. Not sure about now, but the tour lets you out (or did) into the crypt area, with no waiting, and I think you can get into St. Peter's from there. It may also get you discounts into the Treasury and the Dome climb. So it is a reasonable cost.

It is quite interesting to walk underground through ancient history.
The lovely guide we had was a US seminary student.
They point out where St. Peter's bones are ....but.... you need to be fairly imaginative to see anything along a teeny opening.
I will also add that it is stiflingly hot and humid down there.
Dress as lightly as possible, and carry water and a damp cloth for your face and neck and maybe a little portable fan.
There is nowhere to lean or sit down there, and you need good supportive shoes for the uneven ground and steps.
The good part is that you exit right up into the Basilica at the end.

We did the Necropolis of St. Peter's back in 2018 and it was very nice. We signed up for an English tour and it was very informative. If you love history and archaeology you will enjoy it. If you are a devout Catholic (which I am not) then you may love it even more. The tour was relatively short (30-45 minutes) and it ended at the entrance to the church. This was nice because we were able to skip the long line to get in. It certainly gives you an interesting and unique perspective and I'd highly recommend it.

Amber,
We did this tour in 2018 and it was the highlight of our Vatican tour. The tour guide was good but not great. However, the anticipation of being so close to the tomb of St. Peter made me want to break out in a Hallelujah when we finally reached the tomb. I am not sure if I wasn't a Chrisitan if I would have been moved so much but I strongly recommend it to all my Christian friends.

My son did the Vatican City Scavi tour years ago. He is a great fan of underground Rome. One of the things I remember him talking about was that he actually saw the Pope come into a private prayer area, while they were passing through. I don't remember the details, but he was totally impressed with the tour. BTW, he is not a Christian.

He knows of my dislike of super-closed in places and told me that it would not be a good idea for someone who is uneasy in areas like that. I did ok with San Clemente, especially on the second level underground, but lower was a bit difficult for me. I did just fine in the Domus Aurea, underground Colosseum (both Coop Culture tours), St. Cecilia underground, and Case Romane del Celio - all are pretty open above. I did NOT do well inside the Pyramid of Cestius. That was way too closed in for me!